City council elects Frometa to be Downey mayor in 2023

DOWNEY — Downey Councilwoman Claudia M. Frometa was elected mayor on Thursday. She will be formally installed Tuesday.

Frometa replaces Blanca Pacheco, who resigned from the city council Monday after she was elected to the state Assembly.

Frometa was elected on a 4-1 vote with Mayor Pro Tem Catherine Alvarez dissenting.

First elected to office in 2018 and re-elected last November, Frometa previously served as mayor in 2021 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This time she will lead a city council effort to recruit a new city manager after Gilbert Livas retired last summer.

Meanwhile, Councilman Mario Trujillo was elected mayor pro tem, putting him in position to be mayor in 2024 when he is up for re-election.

Hector Sosa was installed as Downey’s newest councilperson at the same meeting, representing District 2.